Reality-Competition Program

Can ‘Born this Way’ finally win Lady Gaga a top Grammy?

At last Sunday’s Grammy Awards, Lady Gagadebuted her new single “Born this Way.” Many critics thought she laid an egg with her over-the-top entrance. And reviewers chided the song for sounding too similar to Madonna‘s “Express Yourself.”

Yet, Lady Gaga proved these naysayers wrong by setting a new iTunes record, with more than one million downloads in the first five days. And it is the 1000th tune to be No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100. However, such success is no guarantee of any meaningful recognition from the recording academy.

At this year’s Grammy Awards, Lady Gaga’s best-selling “Bad Romance” was snubbed in both the Record and Song of the Year races. The general membership submits nominations in these as well as the two other General Field categories — Album of the Year and Best New Artist. From a list containing upwards of the top 30 vote getters — which very likely included “Bad Romance” — the Nominations Review Committee decides on the final five nominees.

The platinum-selling “Bad Romance” did win Lady Gaga the Female Pop Vocal Performance prize as well as Short Form Video. And she impressed the Review Committee enough to be allowed to contend for Album of the Year for “The Fame Monster,” an EP with eight tracks led off by “Bad Romance.” While that disc lost the big prize to “The Suburbs” by Arcade Fire, it did win the Pop Album award.

Last year, Lady Gaga contended for both Record and Song of the Year for “Poker Face.” She lost the Song race to the quartet of tunesmiths behind “Single Ladies” and the Record prize to “Use Somebody” by Kings of Leon. Her consolation prize for “Poker Face” was Best Dance Recording. And while her first disc, “The Fame,” lost Album of the Year to “Fearless” from Taylor Swift it was named Best Electronic/Dance Album.

Take a listen below and then vote in our poll about whether “Born this Way” will be a top Grammy nominee next year.